We want to talk about International Women’s Day.
About Mothers’ Day, about National Mattress Day, about International Whipped Cream and Waffle day. Obviously, certain days have more meaning than others. Mothering Sunday, for example, is less Hallmark, more Victorian scullery maid. But others? They seem constructed entirely for the hashtag and ‘offer ends before midnight’ emails.
A year after their Mother’s Day opt-out email was mentioned in parliament, online flower delivery company Bloom and Wild have launched their ‘Thoughtful Marketing Pledge’. Speaking both from personal and professional perspectives, this kind of initiative is much needed. But it also makes us reflect on the sort of marketing which is slavishly tied to a calendar of days; of spurious celebrations, manufactured for Instagram. Worse, of celebrations which have real value but which are abused for clicks.
